Microsoft warns of malicious antivirus, 'Security Essentials 2010'

Microsoft announced on Wednesday that malware writers are creating malicious applications with a similar name, look and feel to the company's legitimate security software (Microsoft Security Essentials) -- a popular and long-used method of preying on inexperienced users. The fake antivirus is called "Security Essentials 2010" and contains the Trojan Win32/Fakeinit.

I have already had to remove an instance of this from a friend of my brothers...she had an expired edition of Norton on there as well. But because she knew when it started I was able to just boot into system restore and that got rid of it. I then of course ran it through windows update, installed MSE and MBAM, and after they scanned clean I felt confident that the malware was gone for good.

Hey, while on the topic of effective anti-virus software, I just have to recommend Avast. The home edition is free, and with the new update it received a month or so back, the interface finally looks and works fantastic! If you haven't tried the new interface, you just have to. It's great. Of course, many people/websites rate Avira as having the highest detection rates, but with the new interface, I much prefer Avast.

Combined with Avast's real-time scanning and other shields, its boot time scan ability, and the fact the Home edition is free, let's just say I install it on every computer I own.

@vicenarian: Yeah avast is good in my opinion. Has a good combination of tools and has a boot time scan option which is very good for first time users who're experiencing problems.

if you are super paranoid Kerio Personal Firewall wouldn't even let you run Notepad without authentication let alone open a port (Though I think the company is now named Sunbelt)...

The three other tools I use for ridding of malicious trash from peoples machines are:
Security Task Manager for showing up processes or modules (DLLs) which maybe injected into existing processes like Internet Explorer or Explorer in general.

The next is using Dr Delete (Freeware app) that shedules file deletes upon system boot before Windows fully loads since U can track that all down from the file names. Most stuff resides in the system directories that will certainly exist on any Windows (specifically NT in this case) installation.

The next thing is optional: a dissassembler or dependency viewer included in MS Dev can reveal some info about the operation of modules which maybe being used as well as key strings in the malicious files. Removed many a complex registry problem by doing that where the binary is not packed with anything special enables you to see exactly what changes are being made.

Great Protection....Pay for Malwarebytes and it's real-time protections blocks IP's addresses that contain the spyware so you never even have a chance of getting infected. That on top of Microsoft Security Essentials is a GREAT combo IMO.

No, I prefer avast regardless of the interface. However, Avast's interface prior to the update was not very user-friendly for novice computer users. I find Avast works exceptionally well combined with a decent firewall. If I was looking for an enterprise level solution of course, I would be purchasing a PAID antivirus. But, for home use, Avast wins hands down in my opinion. Combined with common computing sense, a person doesn't really need anything more.

I've found Linux to be more stable AND attacked by hackers less, as well as having more features & choices than Windows (the only real "set of baggage" I've found is TOO MANY choices for some types of programs, and not yet compatible with some chat programs & my old games (and most new games from Id Software, EA Sports, & similar major brands)...but with high-quality & free games that work in any browser, or made by Linux users, I still haven't found myself wanting to return to Windoze). Yes, no system is "foolproof" Rick, you can only IMPROVE in these 3 areas --stability, security, and features-- but never PERFECT them.

I use Linux to serve sound, hulu(etc) videos, & home-automation to every room in my house, along with ethernet+WiFi network to 6 desktops & laptops, and nearly everything else that a "power user" could want. I typically run RAID-1 on user-files and RAID-0 for better (write) speeds on all other partitions, something impossible in Winblows, along with FDEncryption...and my config settings for every app I use is not "rolled-back" like System Restore does whenever you need to use Sys Restore; instead, I can reinstall the OS & programs w/out removing my config files (stored in the partition with my user-files... but...

BTW Rick, the article you link to (linuxfonts.narod.ru) says that Linux's sound projects are in disarray, but then linuxfonts.narod.ru "cites" the following link as "proof," despite that it says the OPPOSITE of linuxfonts.narod.ru contention: "State of Sound Development On Linux NOT So Sorry After All" http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/06/19/1937210
. . . i.e. you're going by FALSE hearsay from linuxfonts.narod.ru, which is obviously an unreliable source, and frankly your soure is an ***** to say "See, Linux audio is 'inreliable,' here's proof (from a source that says Linux audio is GREAT)".

. . . so it sounds like you're the one commenting about Linux without actually USING Linux, Rick.

Maybe 'my source' isn't reliable, but it wasn't meant to be some infallible exhibit of how awful Linux is... Even so, there are many thousands of substantial examples outlining how Linux isn't as awesome as you say it is.

If you've installed and used Linux for any period of time, you know it too. I like it, I like the idea of it and it works great for some small cross section of users and systems, but no matter how much you'd like it to be, this year isn't the year of the Linux desktop...

I use Netbook remix on my Dell Mini and Ubuntu 9.1 on a spare desktop that's many years old and a perfect candidate for Linux. I like the thought of keeping this PC out of the landfill and getting more use out of it.
I've had more than one issue with both installations, but I can't say I've had more problems than I've had with Windows.
A stable Linux install has a lot going for it, especially due to the price and relative freedom from Viruses/Malware. The downside is the necessity of being a nerd/geek to solve issues. Of course, that's not much different than windows either.

all the microsoft products from this category that i have used have all sucked, security essentials will randomly rape my cpu for a bit for no reason, and it has VERY LITTLE options to tweak how the program runs, same with windefender :/ bring back ms antispyware.

I think I have finally broken my parents and my mother in law of clicking these links. They now call me if anything pops up they are not familiar with, and sometimes i can use remote assistance to see what they are talking about.

My dad once got infected after a malicious pop-up said he had a virus and he clicked through and did what it wanted. I would have thought he learned his lesson, but just last week he called and said he got a message his computer had a bunch of infections, at least this time he just unplugged from the internet without clicking through and installing stuff.